Potemkin Village: Neo-liberalism and Peace-building in Northern Ireland?

The Relationship between Spatial Planning and Economic Competitiveness: The ‘Path to Economic Nirvana’ or a ‘Dangerous Obsession’?

“…Interestingly, political groupings have different reasons for subscribing to neoliberalism. For pragmatic Republicans 'the realities of the free market' could benefit disadvantaged Catholic communities, generate equality and pave the way for a united Ireland, for enthusiastic Unionists neoliberal policies lead to wealth creation, economic success and societal normalisation (Nagle, 2009). Notwithstanding this, there is a belief across the political spectrum that free market policies -e.g.…”

“…Second, three decades of ethno-sectarian violence, political discord and social segregation markedly differentiate Northern Ireland and Belfast within the UK (Shirlow and Murtagh, 2006). More recently, however, in the transition towards a 'post-conflict' society Northern Ireland's polity and institutions have adopted neoliberalism (Hillyard et al, 2005;Horgan, 2006;Murtagh and Shirlow, 2012;Nagle, 2009;O'Hearn, 2008). Given this, Northern Ireland and Belfast provides a distinctive laboratory to analyse the relationship between neoliberal competitiveness and spatial planning.…”

“…Whilst other respondents were not as categorical, there was a definite sense during the interviews that competitiveness was the unquestioned lever for economic policy. Some respondents attributed this to the politicisation of economic policy in Northern Ireland (also Barry, 2009;Murtagh and Shirlow, 2012;Nagle, 2009) whereby the mantra of neoliberal competitiveness is handed down from the Executive and Ministers of State and the lower tiers of governance have, as one respondent put it, 'to run with it'.…”

“…Notwithstanding this, there is a belief across the political spectrum that free market policies -e.g. inward investment, urban regeneration (see Lovering, 2007) and private finance initiatives -can create peace and reconciliation (Nagle, 2009;O'Hearn, 2008). Hillyard et al (2005, p. 188) mention the "development of a neo-liberal tendency to represent economic reconstruction as being central to conflict transformation in Northern Ireland".…”

Under Which Constitutional Arrangement Would You Still Prefer to be Unemployed? Neoliberalism, the Peace Process, and the Politics of Class in Northern Ireland

“…38 In 2003, for instance, New Labour created the Strategic Investment Board with the remit of involving private corporations in the financing and completion of major infrastructural projects. These collaborations between the state and corporate sector have become increasingly common in the construction of public facilities in Northern Ireland.…”